Shooting victim drives self to hospital

Police probe group fight in Mishawaka.

August 11, 2011|TOM MOOR | Tribune Staff Writer

SOUTH BEND -- A shooting victim reportedly drove seven miles from the east side of Mishawaka to Memorial Hospital on Wednesday afternoon despite a bullet wound to the chest possibly received during an altercation with a large group.

South Bend police responded to Memorial in South Bend about 1 p.m. on a report of a man shot. The 31-year-old victim, who has not yet been identified, was wounded near the intersection of Lincoln Way East and Capital Avenue about 12:30 p.m. in Mishawaka and drove himself to the hospital, according to police.

Mishawaka police were still piecing together what ensued near the McDonald's in the 2700 block of Lincoln Way East as of Wednesday afternoon.

Mishawaka Police Chief Ken Witkowski said there appears to have been a large group of people fighting, but nobody was there when police arrived.

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"It was some kind of physical altercation between a group of people," Witkowski said. "I believe one of the witnesses did say she heard what sounded like a pop, maybe a gunshot.

"We got another statement from a man who said he didn't hear anything. He only saw people jumping in cars and taking off."

Witkowski said he believes the shooting victim was at the altercation in Mishawaka, but added the victim is being uncooperative and asked for an attorney from his hospital bed.

Witkowski said the man's wounds are not life-threatening. The victim was listed in stable condition Wednesday night.

Police had yellow crime tape around the man's white Ford Edge, which was parked outside a hospital entrance. South Bend police at the scene said the victim mentioned he was shot through the passenger's window of his vehicle.

The shooting, meanwhile, is the seventh in St. Joseph County this month. The previous six occurred in South Bend.